Week TWO

Action Plan ladies .... Week TWO has been added to the spreadsheet.

How are you doing?  

I'm finding that I've been more accountable to myself than I have been in a long, LONG time!  Still not 100% perfect, but much improved.  Attended a wedding party over the weekend (SO . MUCH . FUN!) and indulged quite freely there, but aside from that things have been great.

Once I take even a few days of forcing myself to eat less (i.e. reasonable) my body seems to adjust pretty quickly and that constant need to stuff myself seems to disappear.  For most of this week I've managed to be much more in tune with my hunger levels.  Often questioning myself in the evening on if I'm hungry and more often than not the answer is not really.

And it shows ... this week I lost 3.2 lbs!!  I won't expect that kind of loss every week as I know it's just my body catching up and appreciating eating at a more reasonable level.  But I'm happy with it.

I managed to get in a few strength workouts, however I did not manage to get out for my timed 10K.  Just a lot of things on the go, and we're in the middle of a bit of a heat wave.  I'm not willing to run after work in that kind of heat.  Plus I've had a few late nights, coupled with a threatening sore throat, so I've not been willing to crawl out of bed early for a run either.  I'd rather postpone this run and get/stay healthy by getting adequate sleep.  I will do my timed 10K soon and just do the follow up run in October.  It's all good!

My buddy Syl is hosting a GIVEAWAY over on her blog.  Go check it out.  I'm actually not posting this just for the extra giveaway credit, but more because I think she's awesome and everyone should read her blog,

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Revealing the Truth

As I've been mentioning lately, I've gained weight.  A fair bit (we'll get to that later).

I spent a number of months at the beginning of this year living in a cocoon.  Zapped out by stress and instead of turning to the healthy eating and exercise that lowers stress, I turned to cookies and (as my friend loves to say) "sittin' on the couch letting my ass grow".  Not ideal!

It took me a while to start to get my groove back.  In June I challenged myself to 30 Days of Activity.  This was definitely the moment where things started to turn.  I finally began to get active again.  I'm now at what I call my "Happy Activity Level".  I'm exercising most days, getting a good variety in, and for the most part enjoying it.

So ... what's left?  I gotta get this weight off.  Now, for the revealing moment.  While I have been pretty open that weight has been gained, I'm pretty darn sure numbers have not been mentioned.  You may have noticed there has been a significant reduction in pictures of me in quite some time.  That is because I can not stand to look at myself in pictures right now.  No, I don't think I'm disgusting, but I am not happy with where I am compared to where I was.

I have gained .... 21 lbs since February.  At least 15 of that was gained in a 3 month stint.  That is a pretty short time period to put on that much weight.  My weight as of yesterday morning was 164.2 lbs.  Sharing this is a hard pill for me to swallow, but it's time to get it out there in the open.

During bootcamp yesterday I revealed these numbers to my friend during our warm-up run.  She was actually shocked and didn't realize it was that much.  She asked me if I had not lost ANYTHING with all this exercise we've been doing - which the answer is not only NO, but that I have gained a bit more.  It's all about what I'm eating.

I can NOT gain anymore weight.  Any more and I will not fit into my clothes, and I can NOT afford (mentally or financially) to shop for new "fat" clothes.

While it's sad and frustrating to have let myself go this far, at the moment I'm actually past that.  I'm not wallowing in it anymore, which is why I'm finally sharing.  I'm mad and ready to take action.

Yesterday was successful.  I planned out my meals for the day, and even though some logistical problems derailed the supper I had planned to make, I made adjustments and stayed within plan.  My life will ALWAYS need adjustments.  I just have to want this bad enough and do what is best for ME.

Please ... feel free to ride me.  Nag me.  Ask me constantly how I'm doing.  I can not hide this weight gain behind a screen anymore.  It's real and it needs to be dealt with.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Ho-Hum and a weekly review

Tried a new class this weekend ... spinning.  The instructor is my friend's new trainer and she was really impressed with her.  We took the class at her suggestion.  Plus, I've never spun before.  Have thought about it lots, but been a little intimidated to try.

Everything I've heard about spinning has lead me to believe it's a very intense class that will leave you dripping in sweat.  Towel absolutely required.  It was a gorgeous day and I would have loved to have ridden my bike to the gym, but as I was expecting a killer workout out I left the bike at home.

To be honest ... it was OK.  Maybe I'm just "bike fit" from riding my mountain bike to work almost daily lately.  While I did get a decent workout, and definitely had some sweat going on ... I would far from label it as "very intense". 

I consistently had my bike in a higher gear than recommended, and at a higher RPM as well.  My friend that came with me was within the recommended gear range and had a hard time reaching the recommended RPM, and she said she found the class very challenging.  This is the same friend that is currently training for a marathon and while we start our runs together, she's running a good 6 miles more than me on the long runs ... and kicking my butt on pace too.  

Just as class was about to start, a woman got on the bike to my left ... it was a woman I know.  Her, myself, and the friend I came with all went to high school together.  That was kind of neat.  Anyhow, this woman also seemed to struggle with reaching the recommended gear/RPM levels.

So, while obviously spinning must be a darn good workout, it would seem that I either need to reach even higher than I was, or it's just not challenging enough for me.  I'll have to try it a couple more times to see.  I did enjoy the class though and wouldn't hesitate to take it again.  Unfortunately I can't be doing a ton of classes so will have to just fit it in occasionally.  I'd rather do a bootcamp/weight class as I find that a lot more challenging.

Sunday I did another 10 mile run.  It was pretty hot out, even though we left at 8AM.  But, I managed to run a little further once again without needing to walk, and took less walk breaks than last week.  And the pace was slightly faster.  So again, more improvement.  

Review of last week Aug 1 - 7:

* Ran 16 miles

* Biked 43 miles

* Walked 2 miles

* Classes - (1) Spin, (1) Abs Only, (1) Bootcamp

* Used 17/35 extra weekly points & all activity points (yes, I'm following the old WW's program again)

* Weight loss - ZIP :(  Maybe next week

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

What a Ride!

Special thanks to my friend Fran for letting me know that I was recently listed on the Broken Hearted Runner's Best Running Blogs of 2011.

To say I'm surprised is an understatement.  Me and my lil' ol' ramblings here.  ;)

Thanks Fran for informing me and THANKS Broken Hearted Runner for including me on your list.  There are some AMAZING blogs listed there and I'm honoured.

*****************************

Recently I've mentioned a few times that I had been struggling with eating too much, incessant hunger, and of course the expected weight gain.

I've been actively trying to lose a little more weight again since Boxing Day.  Two weeks later I was down 2 lbs and happy about that.  In the next eight days that followed I gained 5 pounds.  FIVE FRICKIN' POUNDS ... in EIGHT days.

For those eight days I could not stop eating.  I was ALWAYS hungry.  My choices were NOT optimal.  However, even with the extra I was eating, I knew that in 8 days I did not consume an extra 17,500 calories above what my body needs (approx 3500 calories equals a 1 pound weight change).

Now, I kinda had it in the back of my mind that hormones might have been playing a little role here.  Typically, I'm not THAT affected by those things.  In the last while though I have been. 

And wouldn't you know it ... a few days later - WHAM!  Intense hunger - gone!  I literally woke up one morning last week and felt human again.  Normal food levels are satisfying me ... and my weight dropped SEVEN pounds in 4 days.  CRAZY!

That leaves me 4 lbs down in a month, which is ironically exactly what I was hoping for.  But what a rollercoaster ride along the way.  The loss is great, but I sure hope it doesn't have to be such a wild ride each month.  That would take some getting used to.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Fall Challenge Begins

I suppose this is really a September challenge, but I'm calling it a Fall Challenge because I want it to extend longer.

Now ... for those nasty weight/measurements and starting pics.  Never something most of us want to share, but it's step one towards change, improvement and accountability.  These are from a few days ago.

Weight - 153.6

Chest - 38"

Waist - 34.5"

Hips - 38.5"

Thigh - 22.75"

Arm - 12.25"

Front

Back

Side

Don't love 'em ... don't completely hate 'em .... can't WAIT to see the progress!

Started the challenge off right by doing this workout this morning.  I created another blog to record my various workouts on.  Feel free to borrow whatever interests you.  I haven't added much yet, but more will be coming SOON!

I very badly need to go grocery shopping tonight.  Our cupboards and fridge are nearly bare and I need REAL food!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

1 Great Weekend

We went away for another extended weekend.  This is how it went down on average for the 4 days....

Tracking:  Very, very little and never a full day
Points eaten:  more than 21/21 each day, but I don't think terribly more
Activity Points Earned:  average about 3 or more per day
Hunger level:  never really got a chance to get hungry
Morning Weigh-ins:  Sat - down 0.4, Sun - down 2.0, Mon - up 0.4, Tue - down 0.6
   overall down 2.6 from last week

Culprit for the weight gain, low hunger levels, fatigue and general yuckiness - a quite early TOM

At least there was a reason behind this past week.  It should have been at least another week (I purposely planned my getaways around this).  I should have known really ... all the signs were there, I was just in denial.

Despite that, I still had a great weekend which can be summed up like this:

1 great run

1 great bike ride

1 great night of watching UFC

1 great float down the channel

1 great breakfast with family & friends

1 great game of cards (not including the 2 we lost - haha)

= 1 Great Weekend

I was a little disappointed to only get one run in.  It was a good one though.  I ran 3 miles on the roads near our property which means there was a ton of change in elevation.  After breakfast I felt I still had energy to burn so I went for a ride around the "block".  The "block" being 5 miles, halfway down a steep hill then gut wrenching climb back up the other side.  I definitely look forward to doing that one more often.

Later in the day, despite lots of stretching, if I sat still for any amount of time my hips were super achy and stiff.  My husband "banned" me from doing the 9 mile easy run I had planned for Sunday morning.  Instead we just did some walking up and down those monster hills near home for the next couple days.

With the arrival of TOM, all my little annoyances from the last week went away.  My running tops and bras were no longer cutting off circulation.  My pants fit again.  That darn scale dropped down over 2 lbs.  Ahhh, much better, and improving daily.

This week I will continue tracking points as my weight is still higher than it should be.  Plus I'm going to add in a minimum of 10 minutes of weights most days of the week.  That's not much, but it's a start.  I don't like to miss a run for weights (even though I probably should more often), and since I don't always have a ton of time for super sessions, I figure 10 minutes is doable.

Hope everyone had a great weekend & Monday.  Will catch up shortly.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Wake Up Call

Yikes.  I've had a wake-up call over the last few days.  For most of the past year my weight has held steady around 147-148 lbs.  I'd love to be a little less than this, but for whatever reason seem to hover around here.  It's hovered there for so long that I haven't been weighing daily like I used to. The other day I was feeling kind of 'chunky' so I weighed myself at night and was substantially more than I normally would be in an evening.  This morning I weighed again and I was 151.8 .... that's a number I haven't seen in a very, VERY long time.  Well over a year.  150 is my do or die number.

My eating hasn't been stellar the last couple weeks, but it hasn't been horrible either.  I've just come off a 21 day dose of penicillin and my body is definitely not normal.  My tummy has been off (common side affect) and last week for about 4 days I was insanely itchy, especially my feet.  One night I had to get up and dunk my feet in ice cold water to stop them from itching.  I also noticed that I was retaining water like mad.  Had some socks on for less than an hour and had a deep groove from them - whereas I typically get barely a mark.  Even one day I turned back after less than a 1/2 mile into my run because my shoes were digging into my ankles, which NEVER has happened.  But, even if it has something to do with the medication, I'm taking action now!

I've been half-assed tracking the last couple of days but keep getting sidetracked.  Yesterday it was free ice-cream for BC Day, a glass of cooler and munching on nachos late in the evening.  I'm tracking the good stuff and when I go off course I stop tracking.  Today it all STOPS!  I'm going to track EVERY bite AND keep it healthy.

Sunday I had a horrible run too.  My hips have been feeling achy and then my legs were super stiff.  I had to stop a few times to stretch, especially my calves.  Monday morning when I got out of bed I could barely even put my heels on the ground.  I've been stretching lots after my runs, but maybe I need more.  I'd like to avoid having to go to the Chiro if necessary.  Yesterday I finally broke down and took one Advil.  I don't like to take them unnecessarily.  I'd rather let my body heal and not mask the pain which may lead to working out when I shouldn't.  Though since I had that one Advil I am feeling better.  Tonight I have hill training on the agenda.  We'll see how that goes.

Lately I'm feeling a little bored on my runs.  I don't mind running alone most of the time, but it's been quite a while since I've ran with anyone.  My running friends aren't running as much and our schedules have been conflicting, plus my husband has been swamped and hasn't run in over a month.  I like to run with someone at least once a week.  Maybe soon I'll have to meet up with the running room group ... even though I don't know a soul there.  I can't join any clinics, but maybe I'd find some enjoyment just going on the practice runs with them.

This weeks training plan:

Sun - 7 miles (done @ 9:05 pace)
Mon - rest (went for a casual 1 mile walk)
Tue - 5 miles incl. 4 hill repeats
Wed - 4 miles moderate pace
Thu - 3 miles easy
Fri - rest
Sat - 3 miles fartleks

So here's to getting back into action and keeping myself accountable.  No more half-assed tracking.  No letting things slide.  Back to tracking everything and daily weigh-ins.  This works for me.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Gone to the Beach

Bye folks ....... I've gone to the beach ......

OK, maybe not THAT beach (I wish!) .... but rather, this beach:

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, recently I've been struggling with sugar ... and coincidentally (or not)STILL struggling to get off this last bulge.  On the long drive home I made the decision to once and for all TRULY give this diet a shot.

I've thought about it before ... alot.  I've even attempted it years ago, though admittedly half-assed, and not while I was truly in a mental position to pull it off.

Last Friday (the day after we got back) I kicked the plan into action.

Essentially phase 1 (2 weeks) is lean protein & vegetables at each meal, a little healthy fat, low/no-fat dairy is allowed, and a serving of nuts per day.  Absolutely ZERO sugar, no starchy carbs (bread, pasta, rice, oatmeal, grains, cereals, potatoes, corn, etc.), and no fruits.  Though I don't completely agree with the no fruits and have had approx. 1 serving per day.  Sugar substitutes are allowed, but I try to avoid those at all costs so have been going completely cold turkey on that.  No sweet tasting treats for me!

Day 1 I was pretty much afraid to eat and to be honest, I avoided it as much as possible.  It was actually easier to just not eat, than to face the decision on what to eat.

Day 2 a slight headache began and I felt very discombobulated.  I was a bit dizzy, very fuzzy-headed and extremely lethargic (though I can't say for 100% certainty that this wasn't associated with the long travel and alte nights).  Day 3 was pretty much the same.  I questioned my safety behind the wheel and thus did not drive those days.

My kids got called a few names as I saw them eating granola bars, cereal ... and when my daughter asked if I'd make her my most recent favourite recipe of Oatmeal Pancakes I thought I would explode.  But I forged on and have stuck to it. 

I did do a few long walks and runs during the first few days and let me say that they were HARD!  I could definitely feel when I hit a wall part way through, and sometimes the entire run was difficult.  I would NEVER take something like this on if I were in the middle of some serious training.  It's even recommended that you don't.

The first few days I was also a bit (ahem) "backed-up", but a bit more fluids and more veggies and things got sorted out again.

Since Day 4 things have gotten much easier.  I don't feel like strangling people who I see eating carbs.  And I no longer have to switch channels as the 45 zillion candy/chocolate commercials come on.  My energy is definitely coming back and I feel pretty good.

I noticed almost immediately that the bloaty feeling in my stomach went away and it seemed flatter.

My husband joined in on this plan to support me ... and also because he realized that the thought of going off of sugar made him react like a crack addict entering detox.  He doesn't need to lose an ounce so I was a bit concerned about him.  He lasted 2 days following the diet as I have been, then he reintroduced a few carbs and fruit to his diet - which is what I thought he should do anyway.  He is still trying to keep with the no sugar aspect which is what he needs to focus on anyway.  I think his headaches were worse than mine.

After 1 full week following this program I'm feeling pretty good.  My cravings have definitely subsided and I have good energy.  My clothes look better, my stomach is definitely slimmer (main objective here), I'm down in my measurements and I've lost 3 lbs this week for my lowest weight in 2010 of 145.8.  My lowest in the last few years is 143.6 (very briefly) from last November.

I plan to follow this phase for another week, then in Phase 2 you slowly reintroduce fruit & healthy starchy carbs.  Can I say that I'll NEVER eat sugar again?  No, I definitely can not say that, I know I will.  But, I do want to eat ALOT less sugar than I was and eliminate it from things that I'm learning to enjoy without (plain yoghurt, tea, hopefully eventually cereal and oatmeal).  I don't believe that sugar & starchy carbs are evil, but I know that I easily overindulge in these items and my goal is to reduce from the amount I had been eating.

 June 1 - 5 mile/8K run

June 2 - 30 Day Shred Level 1
June 3 - 4 x 1 mile treadmill intervals and core
June 4 - 30 Day Shred Level 1
June 5 - 2.5 mile walk and 1.5 mile run
June 6 - 3 Hours heavy clean-up

June 7 - 5 x 10 minute treadmill intervals and some core

June 8 - Shred Level 1

June 9 - 45 min run/walk

June 10 - lifting & walking

June 11 - lifting & walking

June 12 - 30 min run & dancing

June 13 - 30 min hike

June 14 - run & walk

June 15 - 2+ hours walking

June 16 - swimming & stair climbing

June 17 - 7 mile treadmill run

June 18 - walking

June 19 - stairs & walking

June 20 - 8 mile run (pretty fast)

June 21 - 6.2 mile steady run

June 22 - 6 mile run

June 23 - 7 mile run

June 24 - 7 mile run

 Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Let the Games Begin

Did you happen to notice that I didn't post a weigh-in yesterday?  Yeah, I didn't think so.  Anyhow, I purposely chose not to post it.  Why?  Because I'm just don't know what's going on.  So it's all really quite useless information.

My weight is fluctuating wildly throughout the week without reason or explanation ...

and not changing over the longer term either.

I am the exact same weight I was 5 weeks ago.  Honestly, I almost don't care to weigh myself right now.  For right now, I'm more interested in being healthy and active.

And on that note ....

Last week I went to my hairdresser.  Back in January she asked me if I had ever tried the 30 Day Shred, which of course I had.  She wanted to give it a go so I lent her my DVD.  She loved it!  I think she lost about 15 lbs in the month.

She loved it so much she went and bought her own DVD (she was afraid she'd wear mine out) and she has done it EVERY SINGLE DAY since January. 

Honestly I don't know how she does the same thing every day, and I don't understand fully how her body hasn't adapted to the workout.  It's the only workout she does.  But ... she is looking so good!  The other day after the appt, she took off her smock and I could really see how small she's gotten. 

I went straight home and pulled out my DVD and it kicked! my! ass! 

Oh my have I ever neglected my muscles.  That first set of push-ups almost had me in tears and I was shocked at how much strength I have lost. 

I have done it a couple times in the last few days and can feel every step I take and my whole body is cursing me.  So, apparently it's working!!!  I kinda love that feeling.

June 1 - 5 mile/8K run

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Just want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister!  I think she still reads my blog, though she never comments ;-p   :)

Weekly Weigh In

WEEK IN REVIEW

Points:       counted 3 out of 7 days.  Stayed in range 5 out of 7 days  (not bad for camping)

Activity:     4 out of 7 days

Weigh-in:  147.8 - Down 1.0 lb

Still haven't lost all of my gain from two weeks ago, but going down and I'm not complaining.

Overall results ...

Apr 27 - 149.4

May 4 - 146.8

May 11 - 150.4

May 18 - 148.8
May 25 - 147.8

Overall Down - 1.6 lb.

We went camping on our new property for the long weekend.  It was WONDERFUL!  I'll have some pictures to post, but may not be able to get them up for a couple days.  I have a couple on my camera, but need to see what my daughter and MIL got too.

The weather wasn't 100% perfect, but I still loved every minute up there. 

Didn't do as much exercise as I had planned.  Never got on the bicycle, and I never got out in my running skirt - it was a bit cold for it.  We went out on the ATVs alot though.  Did a ton of exploring of the trails near our property.  I think you can go forever if you wanted to.  I am going to absolutely LOVE living there.  Did alot of walking too.

We did run around the block once - the 4.5 mile/7 Km block!  With an elevation decline & incline of about 350 ft (100 Meters).  Let's just say it was a slow run, but one that once I master it, I will be a much faster & stronger runner for doing it.  It actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and I can't wait to do it again.  Great training!

Camping/holidays are always a challenge.  So much food, most of it not exactly healthy.  But I didn't do too bad.  We had burgers one night and I cooked myself a veggie burger.  Had steel cut oats for breakfast one morning while the family had sausages, eggs & pancakes.  We even did a big waffle buffet style breakfast with bacon, eggs, waffles, and a bunch of other stuff and I just took a reasonable portion.  No need to overeat just because I'm on holidays.

Another thing I found helpful was to keep active.  Sitting around doing nothing invariable leads to mindless eating.  Get out, go for a hike, go for a ride, do something!  The worst is sitting around the campfire and someone brings out the munchies.  Not one of us needs it.  I try to bring out fruit and/or veggies, but often get beaten to the punch and someone usually brings out things like nachos, chips, cheesies, cookies.  Guess I need to be a bit more pro-active when out with others, huh??

We have another camping trip coming up next month (that I am so excited for I am almost sleepless!).  I need to take this same attitude into this trip.  It will just be us this time, so I'll have more control over the mindless munchies.  Note to self:  just because you're away from home doesn't mean you need to eat any different!  It should be a pretty active holiday so I'm not worried about that.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

And someone ... please send me some sun!!! 

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Math Grade - F

Did you know I was a Math Honours student in high school?  A pretty good one too.  Though apparently without a calculator I am useless. 

Last week I reported my bad gain of 4.2 lbs. however my math was apparently wrong.  It was actually a 3.6 lb gain.  Still a bit depressing, but not quite as bad.

I'll have to remember to check my figures before posting.  Sadly it's not the first time I have done this ... and probably not the last.

Oh, and here was one of the items that contributed to this gain.  My son's 16th birthday cake - ice cream.  Thankfully it's long gone.  Darn was it good though!

He got his learner's license last week and has been out driving a few times.  A little scary at times, but he's been pretty good.  He's been driving around the property and operating machinery for years, but out on the road it's a little different story.  I'm very excited to have another driver in the family!

This week has been just OK.  You may have noticed I haven't posted much.  Mid-week I came down with a bug that left me a bit listless.  Not sure what it was but I had a bit of fever and was definitely out of sorts and extremely tired.  I'm feeling better now.

I did still manage to ride to work a couple of times.  Saturday night we went out to friends, had one drink and indulged a little bit in appies, though not bad.  The next morning I felt like I'd been run over by a truck.  Still went out for a 6.8 mile run, but felt awful for the whole thing.  Was hoping the run would burn it off, but nope.  My husband experienced the same thing.  It was hot & humid , plus I had a headache.  ICK!

WEEK IN REVIEW

Points:       counted 6 out of 7 days.  Stayed in range 5 out of 7 days 

Activity:     5 out of 7 days

Weigh-in:  148.8 - Down 1.6 lbs.

Didn't lose all of last weeks gain, but still went down.  I'm not disappointed.

Overall results ...

Apr 27 - 149.4

May 4 - 146.8

May 11 - 150.4

May 18 - 148.8

Overall Down - 0.6 lb.

The overall picture isn't very impressive, but I'll keep chipping away.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Back on the Coaster

Apparently the Roller Coaster ride is not completely over.  Two weeks ago I decided to really buckle down and get serious about losing some more weight.  I had a hugely successful week one.

I vowed last week that I would "just have to keep the momentum up. No fizzling after one successful week. "

Well .... I sort of fizzled!

I did track my food and stay within my points range every day except Sunday & Monday.  Despite that, I still was showing about a 1 lb gain.  I do daily weigh-in's and weeks like this make me glad that I do.  I'm attributing that 1 lb gain to it being ovulation week.  Not sure why, but that often equals a little gain for me.

Come Sunday though ... after the race, I definitely loosened the reins.  I indulged in my son's ice cream cake and then my husband suggested we have steak dinner to celebrate our race.  Probably not too damaging really.  I didn't weigh myself Monday morning.  I did OK during the day, but late in the afternoon I met up with my husband and son at McDonald's and spur of the moment decided to have a cheeseburger.  Again, not the end of the world.  It did put me 1 measly point over for the day, but I wouldn't sweat that.

The trouble came later in the evening.  We had been out with my husband's friend and he asked to take us to a Chinese restaurant he really likes.  He is Chinese and said the food here was very authentic.  I shouldn't have gone.  I wasn't hungry and really had things I needed to do at home.  But I felt sort of like I should.  Ended up eating more than I needed to, late at night.  And Chinese food ... we all know what that does to you.

My penance .... 4.2 gain! (edited: bad math ... 3.6 gain)

Overall results ...

Apr 27 - 149.4

May 4 - 146.8

May 11 - 150.4

Gain - 1.0 lb.

So, this weeks results, while disappointing, will not derail me.  I know WHY it happened and I WILL learn from it.  I'm also aware that alot of that is water weight due to the sodium.  If I stay clean it will be gone in no time.

It would be so easy to not post about this.  Not like anyone would notice or care.  But I notice.  I care.  I'm done with hiding from bad weigh-ins. 

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Roller Coaster Ride is O-V-E-R

Did ya catch Biggest Loser last night???  OMG, did anyone else think that Sam is now a total hottie????  WOW, that boy looks good.  I don't say that about a lot of men, especially people on TV, but he looked great!  Best makeover of the night.  He has such a great personality too.  I'm so happy for him & Stephanie.  That's cool!

I wasn't going to share this next bit until I came across Darcy's most recent post.  I was hoping to get a couple weeks under my belt and then share ... but I think it will benefit me most to get this out there.  Stop being afraid of failure. 

Over the last few weeks I've hinted on and off that I was struggling.  After my disappointing first half in March I was really left feeling down.  I slacked on the workouts, then I started slacking on my eating as well.  I was already struggling with eating a bit before the half ... but afterwards it got worse.

This post is I think where I really started to make that first step back off that ledge.  It's been a HUGE, LONG step and it's been tough.  I had let it all unravel so fast and it has been quite the struggle to reel it back in.  I think I find it harder to repair and restart the engine than to get it started the very first time.

I spent weeks having do-overs.  Wake up with the greatest plans and let it fall apart by mid-day, or certainly before the day was up.    Eventually I turned back to counting Weight Watchers points (the most successful method for me) ... but that was slow to take hold too.  I spent a couple weeks counting .. in my head, but rarely ever writing things down.  Then there were the days I'd write it down, but it would get ugly and I'd not finish the day or I'd rip out the page to start fresh the next day.

The workouts were back in order by mid-April, but the eating was still an issue.

A week ago I finally called BULLSH&T!  Enough of this half-assing around.  Do I want to lose this last pudgy tummy roll or not?  Yes ... yes I do.  It HAS to come from my diet.  I can't put garbage in and expect diamonds.  I work too hard for this.

I don't even know exactly what my total damage was.  At some point in March I was 146.2, but I think that was a fleeting moment.  I've bounced between 147-149 regularly and it was becoming more and more on the higher end.  It definitely bounced up to over 151 at one point.  I was 143.6 last November so I had put on about 8 lbs!

Last Tuesday I finally wrote down my weight and since then I have gotten back to what works for me.  Every night I preplan my meals for the next day.  Every morning and night I get on that scale AND write down my weight ...although I only "count" my weekly weight.  EVERY day I write down what I've eaten and record the points.

The results ...

Apr 27 - 149.4

May 4  - 146.8

Loss - 2.6 lbs

I'm super happy with that.  Now I just have to keep the momentum up.  No fizzling after one successful week.  The roller coaster ride is O-V-E-R!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Buying Shares in Tim Hortons

Last week I posted about my husbands ♥love♥ for sweets and the array of junk he brought home. 

Well ... it continues!

In the last THREE days let's see how many 40 packs of Timbits he has brought home:

Yes - THREE!

One box per day

Let's do the math on that:

3 boxes x 40 Timbits = 120 Timbits

1 Timbit = 50 to 90 calories

average of an assorted pack is 65 calories each

so .....

120 Timbits x 65 Calories each =

7,800 Calories

They don't look so innocent anymore, do they?  Where, oh where does my family put these?  Not to mention there is on average 2.9g of fat in EACH timbit .... 120 Timbits = 348g fat - GROSS!!!  I feel nauseous now.

With all this temptation around I've done pretty good.  I have had 6 Timbits total from these boxes, about 390 calories.  While that will not kill me or 'ruin my diet', my husband is in serious danger.

He has been warned that if he brings home one more box of these little devils or ANYTHING junk food like within the next two weeks I will throw the item AND him into the fire!  Though as I look back over those nutrition numbers I may be tempted to throw away any future Timbits, forever.

He was quite shocked to learn that these little suckers are about 50 calories each.  I can't wait to tell him tonight that it's actually 65 calories on average, and how many calories & fat he has consumed just from these in the last few days.

Sometimes it takes a little bit of shock value to set them straight.

Today was my Belly Blast weigh in.  I was down .4 of a pound, yippee.  I'd like to be more excited, but it's hard to be because a couple of days ago I was down over a pound.  Since my race and long run and the last two days I have been doing weights, so my weight is up.  This is typical with this type of activity as I put extra stress on my muscles.  I'm not gonna stress over it.  The scale is going the right way and I'm happy AND I'm going to keep it moving that way.  Plus, while I haven't done measurements yet (too early), my belly seems a bit flatter and my husband noticed it too.  What more can I ask for!

Hope you're have a great AND 'Timbit Free' day!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Sabotage and Encouragement

Sometimes I hear people say that it's hard for them to lose weight because (insert person of choice) sabotages them.  Maybe their Mom or friend insists on serving unhealthy foods.  Or maybe their husband just is not interested in eating better or exercising.  Or their husband/sibling/roommate, etc. insists on having junk food in the house.

Yes - those are challenges!  But it's up to us to make the right decisions.  Ultimately we are the one's who decides what goes in our mouth.  We are the person who chooses to exercise.

In a perfect world everyone around us would eat healthy, nutritious foods and we would never be tempted to eat things that aren't so good for us.  This is NOT a perfect world - get over it!

My husband is 100% supportive of my healthy lifestyle.  He frequently exercises with me (as much as his schedule allows).  He never tries to talk me out of a workout.  He actually enjoys eating healthier foods and other than veggie hamburgers or tofu, he's pretty much game to try anything.  If he wants pizza and I tell him that I want stir fry instead, he's always game.

But ... he's got a sweet tooth!  He ♥loves♥ his candies.  And he loves a good sale after a holiday (Christmas, Valentine's, Easter).

I had to ask him yesterday if he suddenly has a motive to sabotage me.  This is PART of what he has brought home in the last week (all 75% off - yaaaaa - NOT!)

oh, and a 40 pack of Timbits...

There was also a large tub of ice cream (which the kids made into frosty's), another large heart of the most decadent Lindor chocolate, some smarties ....

Do you know how hard all this is to resist? 

Of course you do, pretty much anyone would struggle with this.

But, it's up to me to decide and choose what I need.  Can I say that I've not touched even one of these treats?  No, I can't.  Can I say that I've had a bit in limited moderation?  YES - most definitely!  Can I say that by having recently set obtainable goals looming in my head have kept me from overindulging in this sick overabundance of treats?  AB-SO-FRICKING-LUTELY!!!!!!

If it wasn't for the goals I've set and that I review them on a daily basis I would have had SO much more of this crap than I've had.

And hmmmmm .... how's that little project going?

Weekly loss GOAL  - 0.8 lbs

ACTUAL weekly loss - 2.2 lbs

Yes - 2 point 2 POUNDS!!!!!!!

OK, just a little happy with that!

So while my husband may be the most likely in my life to sabotage me (with his ever present candy addiction) he is also the most likely to encourage me and push me to reach my goals.  Kind of my own personal devil on one shoulder, angel on the other.

Last night he said, "Set the alarm early and we'll go out for a run in the morning."

So we did!  This morning we woke up to a drizzly, dark morning and headed out for an 8 mile run.  The start was horrid and I questioned my sanity frequently in the first two miles.  I was so slow and could not get it into gear.  Can you believe that he actually compared himself to Tommy Europe at one point?  He was trying to get me to pick up my pace and I barked at him to leave me alone.  He said Tommy Europe doesn't back off and he's my personal Tommy Europe (ohhhh gooodiiieeeee - remember this from Scar in The Lion King? - what a great movie). 

I told him last night about my plans to run home after the race this weekend (which he is racing too).  He said "and how do I get home?"  I said, "You can drive."  He was upset that I hadn't included him.  I think we'll see if one of his parents can give us a lift there and then we'll jog home together - if time allows for him.  But either way, I think I'm going to go for it.  It will be a good test for me.  It should make the half easy by comparison.

Have a great day!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year to all my blogging buddies.  Wishing you all the best for 2010!  You guys have been a big part of my life for this past year and I look forward to more of that this year.

I have been completely MIA from blogland for quite some time now.  December ended up being an insanely hectic month for me.  I actually feel like I've been MIA from life for the past month and it's all a bit of a blur.

I finally got my bookkeeping nightmare for our business in order.  I had a deadline to file the GST (taxes) by December 31st and yesterday we drove out to the tax office to drop it off.  From Boxing Day on I spent almost the entire day until late at night everyday to get this done.  This meant no exercising, no real cooking and a lot of mindless snacking.

Earlier in the month (while avoiding facing my bookkeeping nightmare) I went into bakers overload.  This is just a minor portion of what I ended up cooking (and eating).  I made:

• 8 dozen decorated gingerbread cookies
• 14 dozen peanut butter cookies
• 6 dozen almond crescents
• 8 dozen mexican wedding cake cookies
• 1 - 8x13 tray of the MOST DELICIOUS cheesecake cookie squares
• 2 - 4 x 7 trays of sickenly sweet peanut butter fudge
• 1 cookie sheet of almond roca

I don't even want to think about how much of that I ate all by myself.  I know one day I had a "snack" or SIX peanut butter cookies!

Susan posted the other day about waking up in the middle of the night to have Tums and I can totally relate.  That's such a sick feeling to know that you've over eaten, and mostly with unhealthy foods, so much that it wakes you up at night.  Gross!

We also went to a couple of Christmas parties.  I bought this shirt a few weeks ago, a size 6 (though I think a large size 6), and I love the color.  This is my father-in-law, me & my husband.  Unfortunately since that picture was taken I've been eating like crazy and now have a little tire around my waist that isn't very appealing in that shirt.

Then an improtu trip up to the Okanagan that, while wonderful to get away and see family up there, really cut into my time that I needed to be doing other things.

Saw a little wildlife....

and my little girl got to visit with her cousins....

I created this crazy time crunch for myself and got majorly stressed out!  I haven't been sleeping much at all.

Throughout the month of December I did very, very little exercising and really didn't pay any attention to my diet at all.  At the end of November I was sitting at around 145 - 145.6 (that 143.6 was a fleeting moment unfortunately).  Right now I can be anywhere between 147 and 149, though mostly under 148.  I guess considering all that has gone on my gain isn't too bad, but I feel gross.  I'm very soft compared to where I was.  And I know I've lost some fitness.

I can probably count on one hand how many times I ran in December, and most of them were 5K or less and a very slow pace.

On December 30th at 11 PM I finished my bookkeeping, went to bed with the intention of forgetting about it all for a few days ... and didn't sleep all night. Then went out and about all the next day, then celebrated New Years Eve with friends (no alcohol though so that was good) and stayed out until 2 AM. Had to get up at 8 AM this morning. So at the moment I'm running on less than 8 hrs sleep in the last 48 hours. Way too little for me!

But January 1st marks a new start! 

And that .... I shall blog about tomorrow :)

Goodnight all.........

My Big News!!!

Did everybody stay up all night waiting for me to post my big news today??? NO!  Hmmm, OK, I get it.  My life isn't all that exciting.  But I think you guys will agree that this is pretty darn exciting news ....

WE HAVE MOVEMENT PEOPLE!!!!

It took me 4 days to fully believe it.  You see, I am absolutely sure that my scale lies to me.  Whoever made it in the factory had some twisted sense of humour because that thing can give me some awfully, (not so) funny readings every once in a while.  But 4 days of being consistently down AND confirming it on alternate scales and I finally believe it.

I have broke my 4 month plateau!

It went something like this ....

Jun - 145.8 (all time low)

July - 147.0

Aug- 147.0

Sep - 147.2

Oct - 147.0 (well from Oct 1 - 30th anyway)

then, on the last day of October we begin this trend......

Oct 31 -145.6   what??? really???  No, scale is just feeling peppy

Nov 1 - 143.2   No way!  Need to throw it out.  It's gone insane.

Nov 2 - 144.6   OK, that's the trend we're used to, going up again ... but could it be that I AM actually down???

Nov 3 - 143.6   Hmmm, maybe this is real, better confirm this on other scales.  Yup - it's TRUE!

It's kind of funny because on the morning of Nov 1st, we were laying in bed and my husband had his hand resting on my stomach and he said something about "I think your stomach feels smaller today".  And he didn't even know that the day before the scale had finally moved.  Thats' how much I didn't believe it, I was afraid to share incase it was a false reading.

So the question would probably be ... Did I do anything different? 

Umm, my first thought would be that I don't really think so, not hugely different anyway.  But, since I am using the lovely Sparkpeople website I can go back and analyze things a bit.  I'm such a nerd!  Here's what I found:

CALORIES EATEN

Not a huge change there.  I had planned to increase my calories in the last week of October, but one day I really wasn't hungry and ate very little so my weekly average stayed about the same as it did all month, which was just over 1400 per day or 9,900 per week.

CALORIES BURNED

In the last week of October I went from having a average weekly burn of around 2000 calories, to almost 3200 in the final week.  This would be mostly due to that 18K run I did last weekend. 

FAT

Not much change here.  I average about 40g per day and I try to make it the healthy types.

CARBOHYDRATES

I did lower this a bit in the last week.  Not really intentionally, but because I was trying to increase my protein and stay somewhat in the same calorie range, this is the nutrient that ended up balancing it out.  I also found that in eating more protein, I didn't really want as many carbs.  Earlier in the month I was average 210-215g of Carbs a day and the last week this went down to about 170g. 

PROTEIN

As I mentioned above, I made a good effort to increase the amount of protein I eat.  Earlier in the month I was having approx. 65g per day and in the last week I increased this to 100g.  Sometimes it's a little harder to organize the higher protein foods, but with some planning it's getting easier.  Cottage cheese and egg whites have become my good friends.

So not a huge amount of changes.  It really doesn't feel like any kind of change.  But maybe that was the jolt that my body needed.  Or maybe it just decided it was time and it was OK to let a little go.  Either way, I'm HAPPY!

.

Where, Oh Where has Heidi been???

Oh where, oh where can she be???????

Hmmmm ... I'm right here ... not missing.  Last week I got myself in a blogging funk and couldn't get to doing it.  Some days I just don't have anything to say, nothing interesting to take pics of, nothing to report.

But, my absence does NOT equal falling off the wagon.  I've been healthy, active and all that fun stuff.

So, what have I been up to .....

SHOPPING

I went shopping with my sister in law and finally found myself a pair of jeans.  I swear I tried on about 20 pairs before I found one that was OK (still not great, but pretty good).  Also bought a few boring tanks & t-shirts and then one super sexy top that will be revealed later.  I want to surprise my hubby with that one. :)

My sister in law is a super shopper and I'm really glad she came with me.  I kept trying on things, thinking they looked horrible and she'd tell me No, it's too big - get a smaller size.  And she was right!  I started out trying on jeans in a size 30 and ended up needing either a 29 or sometimes even a 28.

Then when we were trying on tops I'd grab a medium or a large and every time I needed it one size smaller.  I NEVER would have tried on a size small, but she was right, it looked much better.  Any idea how long it's been since I've had a size small in my closet???  Long time!

RUNNING

The other day I ventured out for a longer run.  I had planned on doing about 10K, but part way through I changed my mind on the route and figured I'd end up being a bit short.  So when I got close to home I still had tons of gas in the tank and decided to add on the big block around my house.  I figured this would get me around 12-13K which is about what I run most Sundays.  It was one of those days I could have just run forever.

When I got home I mapped out the route I took .... 15 Km!  HAHAHA, a little longer than planned and it certainly didn't feel like it.  It was a nice route too, so I'll be sure to do it again.

SPARKPEOPLE

I'm still entering EVERY SINGLE food I eat on sparkpeople.com - every bite. It's making me really nervous because my calorie range is 1260-1610 and I've been averaging around 1350-1400 and haven't felt the slightest bit hungry. 

According to calories in vs. calories out I should be losing 1.5 lbs per week, but it sure doesn't feel like it. So ... I caved and got on the scale yesterday (first time this month). And ... yeah ... I've lost nothing, zilch, not even a .2 :(. So frustrating, makes me want to smash my head into a wall.

I hear over and over that weight loss is as simple as calories in vs. calories out - but why isn't it that way for me?? I feel like duct taping my mouth shut and climbing on the treadmill 24/7.

But ... I don't know what else to do so I just keep going on.  That's probably insane, who knows.  I could lower the calorie intake, but with the exercise I do I don't think that's wise.  I know I can't/won't stop or give up - that's just not an option.  It sure would be nice to lose this tummy pudge though.

Here's my menu for today, which is fairly typical.  If you see anything on here you'd like to comment on, feel free.  I'm open....

Breakfast - 1 cup plain, fat free yoghurt and 1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal, 1 Kiwi
Lunch - 1.5 cups homemade turkey soup (broth, turkey & vegetables only), 9 wheat thin crackers, 1 light Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge, 2 med carrots, 2 small peppers, 2 med. stalks celery
Snack - Nectarine
Dinner - 3 oz. roast beef, baked sweet potato (no butter), Salad with light balsamic vinagrette
Snack (after workout) - 1 apple, 1 tbsp. peanut butter

Calories - 1220

This is more fruit than I usually have in a day, but I bought a bunch recently and don't want to waste it.

Tonight I'm doing my own little mini bootcamp which will include stairs, sprints, lunges, push-ups, tricep dips, crunches, and planks.

I'm back...........

Actualy I got back Saturday night but with unpacking the trailer and a bit of a lazy day yesterday I didn't get around to posting. I was also hoping to get my pictures loaded to add into this post but we're having a heat wave this week and by the time I got home from work I just wasn't up to doing anything else.

Our holiday was wonderful! From a weight perspective I can't tell you how good it felt to have reached the goal I had set for myself and to not feel any hang-ups about my weight (even though I'm still not quite at my ideal weight).

We took our 35' 5th wheel RV and travelled with our 2 kids, who each brought a friend. Also my in-laws and one of my nieces travelled with us. Then a few days later friends of ours met up with us with their 15 yr old son (who is also my son's friend). We all had such a great time.


But let me tell you ..... 4 teenagers in one RV and all the crap that they can eat sure can be tempting from time to time.


We ended up leaving over 24 hours later than anticipated. Then with a few long stops to shop for groceries and such we ended up spending the first night in the parking lot of a Cabela's store (hunting/fishing, etc). They make these amazing sugary coated nuts and my husband bought 3 packs of them, plus I think the kids bought some as well. I had a couple of each type then I told them all that they were not to allow me to take anymore.


A long time ago I mentioned on here that once I got past 150 lbs I was going to buy myself a running skirt. So I had it all planned out to find a Running Room in Washington or Oregon and go buy one. Except ... I didn't realize that the Running Room is basically just a Canadian company with only a few US locations. Bummer! But then I saw on someone's blog that they got a running skirt from Target. So I made my husband pull into one on our way down. They didn't have a huge selection, but it was big enough that I had a hard time picking one out. I ended up with two, and a matching tank for the purple one. These things are SO comfy. I wore them quite a bit on the trip. Had a little bit of chafing one day on a particularly hot run, but I think a little Glide would fix that. I would totally wear these for casual wear, or biking.


Our first stay was in McMinnville, Oregon. We stayed at a very nice RV resort type place right next to the Evergreen Aviation Musuem that houses the original Spruce Goose. We've been in the museum before so didn't visit it, but it sure was a nice place to go for a jog. The resort had a pool but I didn't end up going in it.

My husband & I took a run into the nearby town the morning after we arrived. We ran about 8 Km then there was a little craft type festival being set up so we browsed around for a bit. When we went to run again the back of his knee was hurting pretty bad so we had to walk back. In total it was about 15Km, maybe more???

From there we headed out to Newport on the coast. This is a lovely little town. There is a bike shop in town and the owners are super friendly. I did alot of biking & running around the campsite and around town.

While in Newport my husband and I took a LONG run on the beach. It ended up being longer than we anticipated. 14 MILES of running (23 Km). I couldn't believe it - we did just over a half marathon!!!! I won't say it was easy. We ran from our campground to as far as we could go. Heading out was not bad, but coming back we were running into the wind and I hit a wall. I was DONE! We hadn't taken water (stupid!!!) and I was SOOO thirsty. It made me feel so fatigued, even though the distance we'd run at that point was still well within what I typically run. I think just knowing how far I had to go made it difficult. But after a few minutes walk we started up again and the determination in me kept me going to the end. My husband even tried to give me an out as we got closer and could have crossed over into the campground. But I refused and was determined to run the full distance. He said we was proud of me!

I was amazed that the next day I was only very mildly sore and after a day of rest and stretching I felt fine. We then went to Florence where there are some pretty big sand dunes. We took a hike out onto them and let me tell you ... you could make a kick ass boot camp out on those dunes. That steep, soft sand is so hard to climb. It was great.

Next we went to an area near the south end of the Oregon coast, maybe 25-30 miles from the California border. There I had big plans of long bike rides and our annual big hike that usually takes us about 3 hours. Unfortunately I caught a nasty, nasty cold and spent most of the next few days propped up praying for my nose to drain or the world to end. We did get in some walks and a mini version of our hike, but I'm sad to have missed out on the planned activity. We had one pretty hot day there that got me out in my bikini (I'm beyond caring that I don't have a perfect body, it's good enough for now).

Then we headed inland to warm up a bit. I just didn't realize how MUCH we were about to warm up. On the coast the typical temperature was about 55-60°F (13-16°C). When we stopped for groceries inland it was 99°F (37°C), maybe even a bit more.

When we arrived at our next campground at 7:30 at night it was 94°F (34°C). Thank goodness for A/C!


At this spot I got alot of running in, though shorter runs. I was still hacking up a lung from that cold, but I needed to move. It's hard to believe how I crave the exercise now. For the next few days I ran about 5-7Km every morning before it got too hot.

We also went up to visit Crater Lake. It's SO beautiful there and this time we were blessed with perfect weather. Barely a cloud in the bright, blue sky and 77°F (25°C). The first time we went there it was blowing wind like a madman and cold, cold, cold! The 2nd time it was even colder (slightly above freezing). So we were shocked it was so warm. The first time we visited Crater Lake my husband and son climbed up this trail to a place called The Watchman. The trail isn't long - 1 1/2 miles return - but it does climb up 413 feet. I (feeling horribly out of shape and just miserable in general) refused to go up with them and I sat in the truck. This time I was NOT going to miss out on the opportunity. I couldn't believe how easy the climb was for me. I could have run it - seriously!

I did find that as the days went by I was having a harder and harder time resisting all the treats/junk that was in the trailer and I did succumb to more of it than I intended. But I tried to keep myself aware of when I had too much and then I'd reduce something else. I never tracked once, I just tried to listen to my body and make as many smarter choices as I could.


I haven't really been drinking alcohol for quite some time. The last few times it's affected me way too much and it hasn't been worth it. One night I decided I was going to give it a try again and I had one Mike's Hard Lemonade. I tasted SO good going down, but I couldn't believe how quickly I was drunk. Like having a hard time concentrating on the card game drunk. I did stop at one though. All night my stomach churned, I had a blistering headache, heartburn. YUCK! So not worth it. I did try drinking a light beer the next week and had no reaction at all, but I don't really care for beer so I guess I'll just go without. Apparently my body does NOT like something in those types of drinks anymore.


Now ... for the AMAZING news!!!! The last few days of our trip my eating was starting to get a bit out of control. Not truly out of control, but not really in control either. I was beginning to feel a bit of that awful belly bloat. Though I had brought along a pair of shorts that were too tight for wearing, but I could do them up before we left, and at this point I could still do them up so I knew I was OK. But I knew at this point I had to be careful and that I should expect a little gain.


Imagine my suprise when I woke up the next morning to find I LOST weight on this trip. I ACTUALLY LOST WEIGHT ON A HOLIDAY!!!! I nearly fell over. That has never, EVER happened to me. Even when I'm super careful I typically gain 2-3 lbs. I actually lost 1.6 lbs while away on holidays. I still can't quite believe it.

I do realize that I very likely lost some muscle as I didn't do any weight bearing type stuff. So I'm actually looking at this more as a muscle loss/weight maintain thing. But still, I didn't gain and I couldn't be happier.

This week I'm back to tracking as I don't want to let things slide. And I'm back to lifting weights and burning those muscles. Even if it means a little weight gain, I don't want to lose that muscle. Muscle looks good and I love it!